Apparatus and method of recording audio and video signal

ABSTRACT

Auxiliary data carried by a video signal which is now being broadcast is detected to decide whether or not the video signal is protected from recording by copyright. The video signal is recorded on a storage medium when it is not protected from recording. On the other hand, a predetermined information is recorded on the storage medium when the video signal is protected from recording. The information suggests that the video signal has not been recorded due to copyright protection. Either the video signal or the predetermined information is retrieved from the storage medium and displayed on a monitor screen when retrieved from the storage medium.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to recording audio and video signalstransmitted by digital broadcasting. Particularly, this inventionrelates to an audio and video signal recording apparatus having a presetrecording function (presetting the preset data of TV programs which willbe broadcast later, such as, TV channel, time, etc.) of recording audioand audio signals, such as, TV programs which will be broadcast later.

Digital broadcasting via communications satellite (CS) has been verypopular. Not only this, digital broadcasting via broadcasting satellite(BS), ground wave or cable is on drawing boards to start in a few years.

Digital broadcasting transmits TV programs with copy informationincluding recording inhibit information for TV programs which areinhibited from recording to secure copyrights thereon, due to the factthat digital signals are hardly degraded no matter how many times thesignals are recorded.

Conventional recording apparatus generate a copy guard signal for suchTV programs on reception to allow viewers TV viewing but inhibitrecording.

Conventional recording apparatus, however, have a drawback in thatviewers often guess wrong that recording has been set mistakenly or theapparatus has been out of order.

Viewers tend to make such a wrong guess because a conventional apparatusinevitably starts recording a TV program that has been protected fromrecording, which results in failure of recording and reproduction, dueto the fact that conventional apparatus allow viewers preset recordingeven for TV programs that carries the recording inhibit information.

The inventor has proposed a technique of TV-program recording inhibitionfor TV programs protected from recording by copyright, which isdisclosed in Japanese Unexamined-Patent Publication No. 1999 (11)-32266.

In this technique, viewers preset TV-program recording while watching anon-screen program guide pre-stored in a digital broadcasting receiver.

This technique, however, also has the same drawback in that viewersguess wrong that recording has been set mistakenly or the receiver hasbeen out of order. Viewers make such a wrong guess when recordinginhibit information has not been recorded on the program guide or theypreset recording without reference to the on screen-program guide.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and amethod of audio and video signal recording with a function to informviewers that a TV program has not been recorded because it is protectedby copyright, no matter how viewers preset recording, to avoid viewer'swrong guess such that recording has been set mistakenly or the recordingapparatus is out of order.

The present invention provides a recording apparatus including: adetector to detect auxiliary data carried by at least a video signalwhich is now being broadcast to decide whether or not the video signalis protected from recording; a recorder to record either the videosignal or a predetermined information on a storage medium, theinformation suggesting that the video signal has not been recordedbecause it is protected from recording; and control means forcontrolling at least the recorder so that the video signal is recordedon the storage medium when the video signal is not protected fromrecording, on the other hand, the information is recorded on the storagemedium when the video signal is protected from recording.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a recording apparatusincluding: a detector to detect auxiliary data carried by at least avideo signal which is now being broadcast to decide whether or not thevideo signal is protected from recording; a recorder to record the videosignal on a storage medium when the video signal is not protected fromrecording; and means for outputting a predetermined information to amonitor screen or a speaker when the video signal is protected fromrecording, the information suggesting that the video signal has not beenrecorded because it is protected from recording, the monitor screendisplaying or the speaker giving off the information when there is anattempt to reproduce the video signal from the storage medium.

Moreover the present invention provides a recording method. Auxiliarydata carried by at least a video signal which is now being broadcast isdetected to decide whether or not the video signal is protected fromrecording. Either the video signal or a predetermined information isrecorded on a storage medium. The first information suggests that thefirst video signal has not been recorded because it is protected fromrecording. The recording is controlled so that the video signal isrecorded on the storage medium when the video signal is not protectedfrom recording, on the other hand, the information is recorded on thestorage medium when the video signal is protected from recording.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a recording method.Auxiliary data carried by at least a video signal which is now beingbroadcast is detected to decide whether or not the video signal isprotected from recording. The video signal is recorded on a storagemedium when the video signal is not protected from recording. On theother hand, a predetermined information is output to a monitor screen ora speaker when the video signal is protected from recording. Theinformation suggests that the video signal has not been recorded becauseit is protected from recording. The monitor screen displays or thespeaker gives off the information when there is an attempt to reproducethe video signal from the storage medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an audio and video recording apparatusas the first preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of TV-program recording process of the audio andvideo recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an on-screen message for a TV program which has beenprotected from recording;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an audio and video recording apparatusas the second preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of TV-program preset recording process of theaudio and video recording apparatus shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 illustrates another on-screen message for a TV program which hasbeen protected from recording.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will bedisclosed with reference to the attached drawings.

As already stated, digital broadcasting transmits TV programs with copyinformation because digital signals are hardly degraded no matter howmany times the signals are recorded.

The copy information includes copy generation management system (CGMS)data that allows viewers watching only or allows recording only once,etc., to secure copyrights on particular TV programs.

The present invention utilizes the CGMS data for effective TV-programpreset recording.

The first embodiment of an audio and video signal receiving apparatusaccording to the present invention is disclosed with reference to ablock diagram and a flow chart shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.

The audio and video signal recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 isprovided with a recording preset unit 6 that allows a viewer TV-programpreset recording and stores the preset data, such as, recording startingand finishing time, a TV channel, and so on.

When it is the preset recording starting time (STEP S11), the recordingpreset unit 6 sets a digital broadcasting receiver 2, a set-top-box(STB), to be tuned to the preset TV channel (STEP S12), and feeds acontrol signal to a controller 5 to start recording.

An electromagnetic wave carried by the 12-GHz band, for example, via acommunications satellite is received by the STB 2 via an antenna 1 fordemodulation, error-correction and separation into, for example,MPEG2-compressed video and audio data and other auxiliary data.

The STB 2 and recording preset unit 6 (surrounded by a dot line) may beseparated from the audio and video recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

In this case, when it is the preset recording starting time (STEP S11),the recording prest unit 6 sets the STB 2 to be tuned to the preset TVchannel (STEP S12), turns on the recording apparatus and feeds a controlsignal to the controller 5 to start recording video and audio data (TVprogram) transmitted from the separate STB 2.

The video and audio data, and the auxiliary data are fed to a switch 7.Among the auxiliary data, copy information indicating whether recordingis allowed or not is fed to a CGMS detector 3 for deciding whetherrecording is allowed or not (STEP S13). The result is fed to thecontroller 5.

When recording is allowed (STEP S14), the controller 5 controls theswitch 7 to accept the data from the STB 2, and feeds it to a recorder 8for recording on a storage medium (not shown), such as, a magnetic tape,a disk and a hard disk (STEP S15).

In case that the copy information indicates that recording is allowedfor only once, the controller 5 generates a copy guard signal which isthen recorded on the storage medium with the audio and video data, forprohibiting recording twice or more.

When it is the preset recording finishing time (STEP S16), the recordingpreset unit 6 feeds a control signal to the controller 5 to haltrecording at the recorder 8 (STEP S17). Then, the TV-program recordingprocess ends.

On the other hand, in STEP S14, when recording is not allowed, thecontroller 5 controls the switch 7 to accept data from a memory 4 thathas stored non-recording information (character data, still picturecompressed data, etc.) indicating that the TV program has not beenrecorded because it is protected from recording.

The non-recording information is fed to the recorder 8 via the switch 7,and recorded on the storage medium for a predetermined period, such as,15 seconds (STEP S18). Then, the TV-program recording process ends.

The non-recording information will be displayed on a TV screen (notshown) when a viewer tries to reproduce the TV program, for informinghim or her that the TV program has not been recorded because it isprotected from recording. This avoids that a viewer guesses wrong suchthat recording has been set mistakenly or the recording apparatus hasbeen out of order.

The non-recording information stored in the memory 4 is character data,still picture compressed data, etc. A small storage capacity- and lowcost-memory thus can be used as the memory 4.

It is more preferable, when recording is prohibited, recording settingdata stored in the recording preset unit 6 is converted into characterdata and supplied to the switch 7 via the controller 5 for storage ontothe storage medium via the recorder 8 with the non-recording informationstored in the memory 4. The character data can be displayed on the TVscreen, when reproduced, such as illustrated in FIG. 3, to inform whichTV program has not been recorded.

As disclosed above, according to the first embodiment, when a TV programis protected from recording, the non-recording information is stored onthe storage medium. A viewer can be informed, when he or she tries toreproduce the TV program by another reproducing apparatus, that the TVprogram has not been recorded due to copyright protection.

Instead of recording the non-recording information on the storage mediumvia the recorder 8, it is also preferable that information indicatingthat a TV program has not been recorded is stored in the memory 4 andthen displayed on a TV screen, when the viewer tries to reproduce the TVprogram, to inform that the TV program has not been recorded due tocopyright protection. This avoids unnecessary recording on the storagemedium.

The second embodiment of an audio and video signal recording apparatusaccording to the present invention is disclosed with reference to ablock diagram and a flow chart shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively.

Elements in this embodiment that are the same as or analogous toelements in the first embodiment are referenced by the same referencenumbers and will not be explained in detail.

The second embodiment is provided with a memory 4 a that has storedinformation, which will be recorded on a storage medium (not shown),indicating that a TV program has been protected from recording, and amemory 4 b that has stored information, which will be displayed on a TVscreen (not shown), indicating that a TV program for which a viewer istrying to preset recording with reference to an electronic program guide(EPG) has been protected from recording.

The second embodiment is also provided with an EPG memory 90 for storingan electronic program guide transmitted via the antenna 1 and a STB 20or through a phone line (not shown), and also a MPEG decoder 100 fordecoding MPEG-compressed audio and video data.

The STB 20, the EPG memory 90 and the recording preset unit 6(surrounded by a dit line) can be separated from the audio and videosignal recording apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

When TV-program preset recording starts (STEP S21), the electronicprogram guide stored in the EPG memory 90 is fed to a controller 50, anddisplayed on the TV screen via a switch 70 and the MPEG decoder 100(STEP S22).

A viewer selects a TV program which he or she wants to record, via aremote controller (not shown), with reference to the time and date ofbroadcasting, the list of TV programs, the program category, and so on,on the electronic program guide displayed on the TV screen (STEP S23).

When the electronic program guide lists up copy information for each TVprogram, the copy information is fed from the EPG memory 90 to a CGMSdetector 30 for decision of whether the selected TV program is protectedfrom recording or not, and the result is informed to the controller 50(STEP S24).

When the TV program is protected from recording, the controller 50controls the switch 70 to retrieve the information from the memory 4 bto display on the TV-screen via the MPEG decoder 100 such that, as shownin FIG. 6, the TV program, you are trying to preset recording on channelXX, is protected by copyright (STEP S25), and the preset recordingprocess ends.

On the other hand, in STEP S23, when no copy information is listed onthe electronic program guide stored in the EPG memory 90, for example,due to mis-recording of copy information on the electronic program guideor when the copy information indicates that the selected TV program ispermitted to record, TV-program recording is preset (STEP S26), and theprocess enters into the recording waiting mode (STEP S27). Then, theprocess goes to the recording process shown in FIG. 2.

Even though no copy information is listed on the electronic programguide stored in the EPG memory 90, as stated above, the copy informationcarried by the TV program which is now being broadcast is detected inSTEP S13 (FIG. 2) for decision of whether recording is allowed or not.And, if not, the non-recording information is recorded on the storagemedium, as already disclosed.

There is a case that a TV program has been allowed to record accordingto the electronic program guide, but it is prohibited when actuallybroadcast. In this case, it is also preferable that the copy informationcarried by the TV program which is now being broadcast is detected inSTEP S13 (FIG. 2) for decision of whether recording is allowed or not,and, the non-recording information is recorded on the storage medium ifnot allowed.

For a TV program which is protected from recording according theelectronic program guide, it is preferable that, after displaying themessage as shown in FIG. 6 on the screen, the process may go to therecording waiting mode (STEP S27). In this case, the non-recordinginformation as shown in FIG. 3 will be recorded on the storage mediumaccording to the ordinary processing (the first embodiment), however,the TV program can be recorded if it is allowed when actually broadcast.

For each embodiment, the message shown in FIG. 3 will be displayed whenthe viewer tries to reproduce a TV program which has been protected fromrecording. The message may be audio information or the combination ofaudio and video information, and which may be stored in the memory 4 bas compressed data. These data will be decoded by the MPEG-decoder 100and sent to the screen and speakers (not shown).

As disclosed, according to the present invention, when recording ispreset for a TV program protected by copyright, the informationindicating that the TV program has not been recorded due to copyrightprotection is recorded on a storage medium on which the TV programshould have been recorded, thus achieving unnecessary recording.

Therefore, when a viewer tries to reproduce the TV program from thestorage medium, he or she can know that the TV program has not beenrecorded due to not incorrect presetting or breakdown of the recordingapparatus but copyright protection. The viewer can also know it when heor she tries to reproduce the TV program by using another reproducingapparatus.

The present invention decides whether or not a TV program is allowed torecord not by referring to an electronic program guide but to copyinformation carried by the TV program when actually broadcast. Thisavoids missing a chance to record a TV program which is allowed torecord.

The present invention also offers a recording apparatus without a STBand a recording preset unit. In this case, also the recording apparatusdetects copy information carried by a TV program which is beingbroadcast and supplied by the separate STB to decide whether the TVprogram is allowed to record.

This is also useful to a viewer when he or she tries to reproduce the TVprogram from a storage medium, he or she can know that the TV programhas not been recorded when protected by copyright not because ofincorrect presetting or breakdown of the recording apparatus.

Moreover, according to the present invention, when, for example, alatter half of a series of TV programs which will be broadcast later orwhich have been broadcast now, are protected from recording undercopyright, the first half the TV programs will be stored on a storagemedium when recorded, and the message as shown in FIG. 3 will be storedon a storage medium at the time of broadcasting the latter half of theTV programs.

Therefore, viewers can recognize the cause of failure to record thelatter half of the TV programs, without guessing wrong that recordinghas been set mistakenly or the receiver has been out of order.

Moreover, not only to the preset recording of TV programs which will bebroadcast later as disclosed, but also, the present invention can beapplied to the situation where a viewer tries to record a TV programwhich is protected from recording and being broadcast now while he orshe is viewing another TV program on different channel. A message, suchas shown in FIG. 3 will also be stored on a storage medium for thissituation.

1-6. (canceled)
 7. A recording apparatus comprising: a recording presetunit to preset recording of a video signal; a detector to detectauxiliary data carried by at least a video signal which is now beingbroadcast to decide whether or not the video signal is protected fromrecording; and a memory to store a predetermined information suggestingthat the video signal has not been recorded, wherein the predeterminedinformation stored in the memory is output to a monitor screen or aspeaker when the recording has been preset and there is an attempt toreproduce the video signal detected by the detector as being protectedfrom recording. 8-10. (canceled)
 11. A recording method comprising:presetting recording of a video signal; and detecting auxiliary datacarried by at least a video signal which is now being broadcast todecide whether or not the video signal is protected from recording,wherein a predetermined information stored in a memory and suggestingthat the video signal has not been recorded is output to a monitorscreen or a speaker when the recording has been preset and there is anattempt to reproduce the video signal detected as being protected fromrecording.